Interfacially active carbon nanotube hybrids (e.g., nanoparticles comprising polymer-wrapped carbon nanotubes) have potential applications in subterranean reservoir systems. For example, nanoparticles based on functionalized carbon nanotubes (“CNTs”) may be utilized for enhanced oil recovery (“EOR”) by lowering the water/oil interfacial tension upon adsorption or chemical reaction catalyzed by these nanoparticles.
However, challenges exist for successful propagation of carbon nanotube hybrids through porous media. Such nanoparticle dispersions must be stable in high salinity water and should not get trapped by either filtering effects of the small pore mouths or by adsorption on the walls of the rock or sand.
Thus, requirements for applications in reservoir systems include the ability to form stable dispersions and to effectively propagate through the reservoir porous medium under elevated temperature and salinity conditions, which are typical in geologic formations exploited during commercial operations. Therefore, various embodiments of the presently described inventive concepts are directed to compositions and methods for stabilizing and propagating carbon nanotubes, particularly for subterranean reservoir development applications.